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frenchderek

Listed below are comments made by frenchderek between Saturday, 10th October 2009 and Thursday, 26th November 2009 (2 Hours Ago) .

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Franco-German power 6:41pm on 26 Nov 2009 So much narrow-minded nonsense here! Why don't some of you get out a bit more?

eg the coulisses de bruxelles blog has a full list of expected appointments. As a regular reader of his, I suggest he gets some excellent insider leaks. Sorry folks - it's in French, though.

However, thought you might like to know, the view on that blog is that Barnier (the French Commissioner nominee) will not get oversight of finance. And the word is, your mr Brown won over Mr Barrosso; By his Scottish charm, perhaps?
Europe's identity crisis 6:55pm on 24 Nov 2009 It seems to me that, whenever a society (eg a nation) feels insecure, it starts to question the "values", etc of anyone who wants to enter it. Many EU countries are still going through unsettling times: hence the insecurity. Immigrants are accused of stealing jobs from "true-born nationals" - whatever the proof, whatever the idea of "true-born national".

France was the leader in the debate on how to determine nationality, and has re-visited the theme more often than any other nation. Their first naturalisation laws date from the early 19th century: but, oh how they have changed - so often - yet have come back into equilibrium again.

Forget it. It's a passing phase. We'll get over it - and carry on as usual.
Will EU flunk its big moment? 6:35pm on 18 Nov 2009 @Seraphim85. I agree, these posts are not directly elected, but the French President is, for example.

What I, and many others object to is that, despite all the rhetoric about greater democracy in the EU, these appointments (President of the Council, High Representative and Secretary General) indicate the opposite. The Robert Schuman website has shown that, giving interested EU citizens the information about each declared presidential candidate (in all EU official languages) produces an intelligent response. And yet the only way one could find out about their poll was via other interested websites.

However, I am a realist. National leaders are not going to give up power to anyone without either good reason or a fight. They are willing to give up power to an institution - so long as they retain some control over that institution.: hence the current form and power-balance of the EU.

@Ignace Pollet (and others with equal cause). I would fully support Van Rompuy on the grounds that he has proved so masterful at forming (and holding together) a government in Belgium where others have failed. However, I withdraw my support for exactly that reason. Who would replace him in Belgium? I believe the EU owes it to the people of Belgium to maintain some stability (and I do not mean to be patronising). There are other candidates as well qualified - and all of them of higher standing than Blair ("all front and no knickers" as my English grandmother used to say).
EU jobs race could be marathon 5:52pm on 17 Nov 2009 I agree with Vaira Vika-Freiberger. This "behind closed doors" stuff is too ridiculous: it shows the EU leaders in their worst light. They just can't wean themselves off horse-trading.

But the top jobs should be above horse-trading, which usually leaves some parties feeling disgruntled.

The Robert Schuman poll - albeit unpublicised, except via other interested websites - has shown that a citizens poll, extending across all EU countries is possible. And viable.

NB the leader in the Robert Schuman poll is still Vaira Vike-Freiberger. And if you took time to look at her CV, you would see why.

NB2 Belgium can ill-afford to lose Van Rompuy: he's the only person who managed to form a government and then hold it together. If he left there would be chaos.
Europe's hour of decision 6:46pm on 16 Nov 2009 As FBJ explains, Barroso sees himself as holding a powerful role. So, would he want a competitor? I doubt it.

My view is that the High Representative role will be the really powerful one. And, since the holder will also be Barroso's Deputy President, s/he will be (nominally at least) subject to some sort of overview (?) by Barroso.

"Mister Europe" (or, as Margot Wallström and others point out, "Madame EU") should be a consensus builder. Given the polemic around a possible Blair appointment, that's not a good start for consensus building. There are better candidates out there. But the EU leaders, like most people (despite Lipsius's views) are emotionally driven.

Can't say I'm really excited about the result of this "behind closed doors" selection, though.
The Tories' 'Europe' moment 4:49pm on 03 Nov 2009 gavin, as the immediate-past BBC US correspondent, I would have expected you to pick up on the fact that Mrs Clinton has already whispered into D Cameron's ear that the US wants the UK in the EU as a full player. This message must have come from her boss. Remember who is the dog and who is the tail, David.
Sarkozy's teaser 10:54am on 31 Oct 2009 News this morning (ie a "leak" aka a guess?) was that Frau Merkel prefers a Presidient from a smaller country: and that Blair has lost the support of Portugal and Spain. Meanwhile, Le Monde carried an editorial pushing Milliband as the "brilliant, young, pro-EU" candidate for the (much more powerful) job of EU foreign representative.

Why do the EU leaders have to imitate the cardinals in Rome? They're not electing a pontiff.
The power of unemployment 6:35pm on 21 Oct 2009 There are politicians who are politically "tight" - ie they will pursue laid-down policies as inflexible law. And there are politicians who are pragmatic: they deal with the reality. Is Neelie Kroes being pragmatic?
Migration road 7:04pm on 13 Oct 2009 willem86 makes some useful points. Here in France such people are called "sans-papiers". However, the fact remains, they have not succeeded in gaining access to their EU country of choice via the recognised channels. As Gavin notes, they have resorted to intermediaries: those who make money from people-trafficking.

The EU does not have a coherent immigration policy that works, is applied evenly by all "front-line" states, and is fully supported by other members. However, the fact is that these are "illegal". In other words, they have sought to bypass the "normal" procedures for entry into an EU country. And by paying for the services which help them to evade such procedures, they are promoting a further illegal activity - that of people-trafficking.

Where such migrants are held to have a valid case for asylum, then, Yes - as Gavin says - there is a need for a sharing-out of the "burden". And, before any extremists start making exaggerated claims as to their own country's immigration problems, I ask you - please do some research (and No, I won't do it for you).
Klaus opting out 5:06pm on 10 Oct 2009 Am I the only one with enough stamina to have a look at the Charter on Fundamental Rights? OK, I scanned it rather than read it. But nowhere could I see any opportunity for an individual to seek restitution of property in another EU state. Such a demand would have to be made first to a court in her/his own country, and would only be subject to ECJ consideration if the national court so decided (or, if the case was supported by the national court and the property's current owner objected).

Frankly President Klaus (nationalist?) is clutching at straws. He has found a small group of Senators willing to pursue a Constitutional case. Now he's annoyed because the Swedish President leaked a personal phone call. Since the substance of the call was so important to the future of Lisbon, as an EU supporter he felt it should be more widely known.

So, if the Constitutional Court rule against the Senators, no doubt Klaus will have another card hidden up his sleeve.

And I understand that there is nothing in the Czech Constitution that would allow their government to have a vote of no confidence, or similar?

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